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Chennai, Mar 12: The 10th edition of CAHOCON 2026, India’s premier healthcare quality conference organised by the Consortium of Accredited Healthcare Organizations (CAHO), will be held from April 10 to 12, 2026, in Chennai, bringing together 2,500 healthcare leaders, clinicians, administrators, and policymakers – including over 200 international delegates, to discuss advancements in patient safety, healthcare quality, accreditation, and digital transformation.

Guided by the theme ‘Tech. Touch. Trust – The New Healthcare Code’, CAHOCON 2026 will emphasise the human connection, reliability, and innovation at the heart of advancing healthcare quality and patient safety. The main conference will feature high-impact scientific sessions, panel discussions, innovation showcases, and interactive networking opportunities, along with poster presentations by researchers and clinicians that highlight innovative projects and foster knowledge exchange.

Alongside the conference, CAHOCON 2026 will host a comprehensive healthcare exhibition with around 150 stalls, showcasing cutting-edge products and services from leading medical equipment manufacturers, digital health companies, pharmaceutical firms, and service providers. The conference will also feature three breakout houses, designed to facilitate smaller group discussions, interactive workshops, and focused learning sessions.

Recognised by the International Society for Quality in Healthcare (ISQua) as the first ISQua Regional Conference for South Asia, CAHOCON 2026 will witness addresses by 20 ISQua experts. The conference will honour excellence in healthcare quality and patient safety through the prestigious CAHO Awards, celebrating institutions and professionals who have made outstanding contributions to advancing healthcare standards.

The pre-conference workshops on April 10 will bring together 32 leading hospitals from Chennai, providing hands-on training and practical insights into quality improvement and patient safety.

Addressing a press meet, Dr. Vijay Agarwal, President, CAHO, said, “Over the past decade, CAHO has evolved into a powerful national movement dedicated to strengthening healthcare quality and patient safety across India. Through continuous training, accreditation support, knowledge-sharing platforms and collaborative initiatives, we are working to build a culture where quality and safety are embedded in every aspect of healthcare delivery.

Dr. Lallu Joseph, Secretary General, CAHO, and AGS & Quality Manager at Christian Medical College, Vellore, commented: “CAHOCON has grown into one of the most influential platforms for advancing healthcare quality and patient safety in India. It brings together clinicians, hospital administrators, quality professionals and policymakers to exchange ideas, share best practices and learn from global experiences. Through this collaborative forum, we aim to strengthen a culture of continuous improvement in healthcare systems and ensure that patients across the country benefit from safer and higher-quality care.”

In his address, Dr. S. Manivannan, Org. Co-Chairperson, CAHOCON 2026 and Founder & Managing Director of Kauvery Group of Hospitals, said: “CAHOCON 2026 is set to be a landmark gathering for healthcare professionals from across the country, bringing together clinicians, administrators, researchers, and innovators under one roof. This year’s event will feature pre-conference workshops, high-impact scientific sessions, and panel discussions designed to address the latest advancements and challenges in healthcare. Our attendees will gain unparalleled opportunities for knowledge exchange, networking, and collaboration, while also exploring practical solutions that can be implemented in their institutions.”

Dr. Sathish Devadoss, Org. Secretary, CAHOCON 2026 and Vice Chairman of Devadoss Multispecialty Hospitals, Madurai, said: “CAHOCON 2026 will feature a dynamic array of scientific sessions, covering the latest breakthroughs, clinical practices, and emerging technologies in healthcare. Our pre-conference workshops are designed to offer hands-on learning experiences, equipping participants with practical skills and innovative approaches that can be applied immediately in their practice. From expert-led lectures to interactive panel discussions, the event promises to stimulate meaningful dialogue, foster collaboration, and provide attendees with actionable insights to enhance patient care and drive excellence in healthcare delivery.”

In his remarks, Dr. Ilankumaran Kaliamoorthy, Academic Committee, CAHOCON 2026 & CEO, Apollo Hospitals, Chennai, said: “CAHOCON 2026 brings together a distinguished lineup of speakers, including leading clinicians, researchers, and healthcare innovators. There will be 20 international speakers including Dr Eyal Zimlichman – Deputy Director General & Chief Quality Officer, Sheba Medical Center, Israel; ISQua Academy Member, and Prof David Bates – Chief, Division of General Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, USA, who will share their expertise and experiences. The event also attracts a diverse group of participants, from hospital administrators to frontline practitioners, creating a vibrant environment for learning, collaboration, and knowledge exchange. This convergence of minds ensures that every attendee gains fresh perspectives, practical insights, and the inspiration to implement best practices in their own institutions.”

CAHOCON 2026 has Dr. Nalla G Palaniswami, Chairman of Kovai Medical Centre and Hospital, as Org. Chairperson, and Dr. Gurushankar, Chairman of Meenakshi Mission Hospital and Research Centre, as one of the Org. Co-Chairpersons.

The press meet was attended also by Mr Adel J, FLAB Healthcare; Dr Arjun, New Medical Centre, Puducherry; Dr V.V. Jaichandran, Sankara Nethralaya; Ms Sandhya Cherian, Frontier Lifeline Hospital, Chennai; Dr Raju Sivasamy V P, SIMS Hospital, Dr Ashokan and Dr Babu Narayanan, GEM Hospital; Ms Gayathri Sandeep, Seethapathy Clinic; Dr Lasya Thambidurai, St. Peters Medical College; Dr Sudagar Singh, SRMC; Mr Venkat Phanidhar, Shasta Healthcare Solutions; Dr Jothi Clara, Healthbridge Company; Mr Mohammed Farouk, Rela Hospital, and Dr Balamurugan, Dr. Muthus Hospital.

“We are glad to welcome Mrs. Pillai to the Board,” said Rajan Bajaj, MD & CEO, slice. “Building right from the very beginning and without compromise is what we’re trying to do with slice. And to be able to do that well for not a few, but everyone demands the kind of governance and risk expertise that only comes from leading institutions at scale. Mrs. Pillai has done exactly that. Her deep experience in operational risk, fraud oversight, and enterprise risk management at India’s largest bank makes her a tremendous addition to our Board. We are fortunate to have her with us as we build for a future where banking is delightful for every customer.”

“I am honored to join the Board of slice at this important stage of its evolution,” said Sreedevi Pillai, Independent Director, slice. “The bank’s commitment to building a transparent, digitally driven, and inclusive banking platform aligns strongly with the evolving landscape of responsible finance in India. I look forward to working closely with Rajan, the leadership team, and the Board to contribute to robust governance, prudent risk management, and sustainable growth.”

Nestlé House,  Mar 12: Nestlé Purina, a global leader in pet nutrition, announced the launch of Felix Gravy Lover and Pro Plan Cat in India, strengthening its presence in the rapidly growing cat food segment.

Designed to address the growing need for high quality nutrition and hydration, Felix Gravy Lover offers cats a tasty and nourishing wet food experience. The range delivers highest crude protein levels in the category. Felix Gravy is now available in four variants – Chicken, Salmon, Tuna and Mackerel across leading pet stores and major e commerce platforms at a price point of INR 55 per pouch.

Commenting on the launch, Ms. Pallavi Anand, Head, Purina India, said,

“The cat food segment in India is growing a rapid pace, driven by rising cat adoptions and pet parents seeking specialized, science-backed nutrition along with greater variety and taste for their cats. With Felix Gravy and Pro Plan Cat, we are combining great taste along with advanced nutrition and scientific expertise to meet evolving feline needs and power the next phase of category growth in India.”

With the launch of Pro Plan Cat, Purina enters the advanced, science led nutrition segment for cats in India. This range includes Kitten and Adult variants as well as a specialized range including Urinary Care, Hairball control, Indoor and Sterilcat, addressing specific health and lifestyle needs for cats.

The launch is being supported by a robust demand generation plan, including high impact communication built on the brand’s core proposition – So tasty, cats will do anything for Felix! This will be amplified through an influencer led digital campaign to drive awareness and consideration. In addition, the brand will have extensive visibility at the point of sale, ensuring strong in store presence and standout shelf impact.

Everaw was built around a gap the founders saw clearly. India’s children’s snack and nutrition market is crowded with products that compromise on ingredients the moment convenience or taste is prioritized. The brand’s answer is an all-natural range that makes no such trade-off. At the core of every Everaw product is freeze-drying, one of the most effective preservation techniques available, which locks in nutrition without preservatives or artificial ingredients.

“It’s simple – we wanted to build absolutely clean products that kids enjoy and parents trust,” said Lucky Soni, Co-founder, Everaw Nutrition.

The brand’s product range spans India’s first fruit and superfood-infused nut spreads, single ingredient classic spreads made with activated nuts, and freeze-dried whole fruit snacks, each made with a handful of real ingredients and nothing more.

“Growing up, our mothers would soak almonds overnight before giving them to us. There’s real science behind that simple practice, and that’s exactly what we do at Everaw – activated nuts, done right,”  said Yash Soni, Co-founder, Everaw Nutrition.

Everaw’s appearance on Shark Tank India Season 5 (Sony Entertainment Television / SonyLIV) marks a significant milestone for a brand building out of a Tier-2 city. For the founders, Ajmer is not a limitation – it’s a strategic advantage. The region’s climate and agricultural proximity align naturally with the brand’s clean-label sourcing philosophy, and the team sees their small-city roots as proof that transformative ideas in nutrition need not originate from a metro.

“This space is ripe for disruption and we’re proud to be building from a small city like Ajmer, making the most of home ground advantage, ” said Kanika Kishnani, Co-founder, Everaw Nutrition.

The feature is part of a broader effort to build generational awareness around what honest children’s nutrition can look like, and to demonstrate that a brand built from Ajmer can compete on a national stage.

 By:-Founder Led to System Led: How the MSME India Network Helps Startups Build Strong Teams

In the early days of a startup, speed feels like the only advantage that matters. Founders hire quickly, ship fast, solve problems in real time, and keep the culture “organic.” It works. Until it doesn’t.

Somewhere between 15 and 30 employees, many startups hit an invisible wall. Execution slows down. Good people get confused. Roles overlap. Managers are promoted too early. Feedback becomes emotional. Hiring turns into a gamble. And the founder becomes the default problem solver again.

That moment is not a strategy problem. It is a people systems problem.

Shailesh Kantak, a leadership and people systems coach and the Founder of the MSME India Network (MINT), has spent years working closely with businesses at this exact stage. “Most founders don’t fail because they lack ambition,” he says. “They get stuck because the business is still running on personal control instead of repeatable people systems.”

The real startup bottleneck is not funding, it is team design

Startups are built on intensity. But intensity cannot replace clarity forever. When a team grows, informal coordination stops working. What the business needs next is simple structure, with human warmth intact.

Strong people systems do not mean corporate HR. They mean clear roles, clear expectations, clear rhythms, and clear leadership habits. They help a founder move from firefighting to direction setting.

A few people systems that decide whether a startup scales smoothly or stalls:

• A hiring system that filters for skill and attitude, not just speed

• Role clarity that removes confusion and prevents silent resentment

• Performance rhythms like weekly check ins and monthly reviews that keep work visible

• Feedback habits that are respectful, specific, and consistent

• Culture practices that are designed, not left to chance

“When these systems are missing, even a great team starts underperforming,” says Shailesh. “And the founder starts feeling like the only dependable person in the room.”

Enter MSME India Network, a community built for founders who want a self running team

The MSME India Network is a learning and implementation community designed for Indian startup founders and MSME business owners who want to build strong teams and scale without founder dependence.

MINT is built around one core idea. The business should not wait for the founder.

It helps members escape what the community calls the Founder’s Trap, where the founder is involved in every decision, every follow up, and every escalation. Over time, this trap limits growth and drains energy.

MINT’s mission is to help founders build leadership capability and people systems that scale. Its long term goal is to enable a community of 25,000 plus MSME business owners by 2030, and help them build organisations that are stable, values driven, and execution strong.

How the community works

MINT is not a passive content library. It is structured around participation, reflection, and action.

Here is what members typically experience inside the community:

1) Clarity sessions that start with the founder
Founders begin by building personal and leadership clarity. This creates better decision making and steadier leadership behaviour. “If the founder is unclear, the team will always feel unclear,” says Kantak.

2) Practical frameworks for building people systems
Members learn a simple people systems framework that covers the full journey of team building. Attracting the right talent, hiring with structure, nurturing culture, enabling learning and growth, and building engagement through ownership.

3) Templates, playbooks, and implementation support
This is where most founders feel relief. Instead of starting from scratch, they get tools they can apply immediately. Job description formats, interview scorecards, role clarity sheets, feedback frameworks, performance check in guides, and simple dashboards.

4) Community learning formats that drive action
MINT runs hackathons, bootcamps, and guided sprints where members work on one system at a time. The environment encourages sharing, accountability, and real progress.

A member founder from a services startup recently described the shift in one line, “I stopped chasing my team for updates because the weekly rhythm did it for me.”

Why this matters for startups right now

Startup ecosystems celebrate product, growth, and capital. But people systems often get treated as a later stage concern. In reality, people systems are a growth lever from day one.

Startups compete for talent, and retention is fragile. A strong engineer or a strong sales performer will not stay in a workplace that feels chaotic or unclear. Shailesh puts it plainly. “Good people don’t leave loudly. They leave slowly, in their effort first, and then with their resignation.”

The earlier startups design their people systems, the faster they can grow without breaking culture, quality, or founder health.

A founder profile that explains why this community is built differently

Shailesh Kantak is not building MINT from theory. He is the Founder and CEO of Flexi Ventures Pvt. Ltd., an HR Consulting and Talent Acquisition firm founded in 2014. Over the years, he has worked closely with business owners and leadership teams across industries, helping them solve people challenges on the ground.

That experience shaped MINT’s tone and design. Practical, founder friendly, and rooted in what actually works inside Indian startups.

“Founders don’t need motivation,” says Shailesh. “They need a clear path. They need systems that reduce dependence. And they need a community that keeps them honest about implementation.”

The bigger vision

MINT is ultimately a movement to make Indian startups and MSMEs stronger from the inside. Not only through strategy and sales, but through leadership behaviour, team capability, and repeatable people systems.

For founders who want to scale, this is the quiet work that changes everything. When people systems are strong, execution becomes predictable. Culture becomes intentional. Teams become dependable. And founders finally get space to think, build, and lead.

As Shailesh says, “The goal is not to work less. The goal is to stop being the system.”

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., March 11, 2026 — CERo Therapeutics Holdings, Inc. (OTCQB: CERO) (“CERo” or the “Company”), an innovative cellular immunotherapy company pursuing new targets and novel phagocytic mechanism, provides an update through the letter to stockholders and stakeholders from CEO Chris Ehrlich:

To our stockholders and stakeholders:

Following our recent Form 8-K filing confirming receipt of convertible debt funding to support current operations, we believe it is an appropriate time to provide an update on CERo Therapeutics’ operational and scientific progress. Over the past six months, the Company has advanced its clinical development activities, engaged in strategic discussions, and continued to manage resources with fiscal discipline.

During this period, we have progressed the development of our lead candidate, CER-1236, including observations consistent with an acceptable safety and tolerability profile to date, across multiple treated patients. We have also observed biologic activity consistent with the mechanism of the therapy, including approximately 20–70-fold cell expansion, peaking between days 7–14 and followed by continued persistence as measured in peripheral blood. These early observations contribute to our understanding of CER-1236 and support continued clinical evaluation of the program.

Notably, in the second patient treated in our ongoing Phase I study, we observed an interval of apparent disease stability during which the patient’s disease progression and requirement for platelet transfusion support did not increase following multiple infusions of CER-1236. While this is an early observation from a single patient and Phase I studies are primarily designed to evaluate safety, we believe the clinical course of this patient is noteworthy.  This patient had previously been diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), a disorder of the bone marrow that can progress to acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

The emerging clinical observations provide an early signal that supports continued investigation of CER-1236. These data are helping guide the Company’s ongoing development strategy, including exploration of dosing approaches and patient selection in future cohorts.

While CER-1236 demonstrated activity across multiple tumor models during preclinical development, the observations to date in the MDS setting highlight a potentially important area for further study. We believe these early findings may also support future discussions with potential strategic partners regarding the continued development of the program.

Progress in Phase 1 Clinical Trial and Strategic Focus on MDS
We recently announced data from our ongoing CERTAIN-T Phase 1 clinical trial that reflects the Company’s current development approach for our lead compound, CER-1236. Based in part on early clinical observations in a patient with MDS, a disorder of the bone marrow that can precede AML, the Company has refined its development strategy to increase focus on enrolling patients with MDS while maintaining optionality in AML.

This strategic refinement was informed in part by observations from a patient who received four infusions of CER-1236 over approximately five months at the lowest dose level in the study.

As previously announced, prior to receiving CER-1236 the patient required frequent platelet transfusions. During the period following treatment in the study, the patient experienced an interval of platelet transfusion independence lasting more than two months, exceeding the commonly referenced ≥56-day durability benchmark used in MDS studies.

The Company is actively seeking to enroll additional patients with similar clinical characteristics to further evaluate this observation. If similar findings are observed in additional patients, these data may help inform future discussions with regulatory authorities and potential strategic partners regarding the continued development of CER-1236.

To date, the Company has initiated the second cohort of the trial, and two additional patients have recently undergone apheresis, a procedure in which blood cells are collected to manufacture CER-1236 for each individual patient. The Company plans to initiate dosing for these patients during March and April.

Pursuing a Strategy to List on a Major Exchange
Re-establishing our listing on a major exchange remains one of our key priorities.  To that end, we have engaged with an investment bank to raise capital and pursue a strategy intended to support a potential relisting on the Nasdaq Capital Market.  We believe that our new partner’s institutional relationships and sector expertise align well with our goal of raising sufficient capital in a disciplined manner while attracting longer-term, knowledgeable investors who are familiar with the clinical development landscape and strategic direction. In addition, we are considering other potential paths for relisting on a national securities exchange, including potential business combinations with listed companies, which may include a reverse merger or a business combination with a special purpose acquisition company.

Continued Funding Support
As recently disclosed, as we pursue new financing opportunities and seek to relist on Nasdaq, our lead investor continues to support CERo’s operations through investments in convertible debt. Their commitment to CERo has enabled us  to sustain operations and advance our clinical programs. We believe our clinical development and focus on our financing efforts and strategy for relisting on Nasdaq will be beneficial to all CERo stockholders and are grateful for the continued confidence our loyal stockholder base.

Strategic Discussions Regarding Early Data Readouts
We continue to engage in ongoing discussions with potential strategic partners following the most recent data readouts, as is regularly seen in the biotech industry. While these  conversations are encouraging, they remain at an early stage and have not resulted in formal agreements. We believe the evolution of our strategy and growing dataset may catalyze future conversations. To the extent permitted under applicable law and contractual obligations, we expect to provide further updates to stockholders should any of these discussions advance in a manner that materially impacts the Company.

Board Expansion – Appointment of Eric Francois
Finally, we recently announced that Eric Francois joined our board of directors.  Eric brings decades of experience in life sciences finance, capital markets, and corporate development, including deep expertise in capital raising, M&A, and strategic partnerships.  His involvement with the Company is among multiple catalysts that, we believe, will positively impact CERo in the months to come.  Eric was instrumental in our discussions with our new investment bank and is already assisting with other potential funding opportunities, operational improvements, and external viewpoints on the Company’s next phase of growth.

Dedicated, Engaged Professionals Working Together to Achieve Success
It should never go without saying that CERo’s world class team – employees, partners, consultants, and advisors – all remain focused and excited about achieving the common goal of improved patient care and improving patients’ lives through innovative clinical development.  Despite challenges that might have derailed other companies several times over, the CERo team has continued to perform with enthusiasm toward the achievement of bringing CER-1236 to the next inflection point and beyond.

Our take-home message is clear:  CERo is operational, continuing to advance our clinical programs, and generally building momentum. We are committed to transparent communication, and we look forward to sharing the outcomes of each of our ongoing activities in the future. We thank you for your continued support and confidence in our novel approach to treatment and our leadership.

Sincerely,
Chris Ehrlich
CEO
CERo Therapeutics